{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O8630"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O8630/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MW4718/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MW4718/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MW4718","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AJ3692","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O8630/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O8630","accessionNumber":"929-1903","objectType":"Snuff bottle","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Snuff is powdered tobacco, usually blended with aromatic herbs or spices. The habit of snuff-taking spread to China from the West during the 17th century and became established in the 18th century. People in China (most snuff users were men) generally carried their snuff in a small bottle. Snuff bottles were made in and from a variety of shapes and materials. By the 20th century these bottles had become collectors' items, owing to the great variety of materials and decorative techniques used in their production.","physicalDescription":"The bottle is an oblong flattened flask form with no stopper.\r\nIt is made of chalcedony, mushroom colour with dark brown patches.\r\nThe decoration depicts a four-legged creature breathing out vapour, and five bats.\r\nThe high foot has an angular indentation underneath.\r\nA 'silhouette' carving technique is used so that the brown patches form the design.  There is no background carving and the reverse is left plain. Since the Chinese word for bat, <font i>fu</font>, sounds the same as the word for good fortune, bats are often used to express a wish for good fortune.  Five bats together represent the 'five blessings': long life, riches, health, love of virtue and a natural death (Eberhard, p.32).","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"chalcedony","id":"AAT11134"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved chalcedony, with dark brown inclusions","categories":[{"text":"ELISE","id":"THES48961"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Personal accessories","id":"THES48912"}],"styles":[{"text":"Qing","id":"AAT18478"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2021MW4718","2006AJ3692"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES363113"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"SNUFF BOTTLE","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"China","id":"x29398"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1800-1900","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Boone Bequest","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bequeathed by Mr. Thomas Boone, per Mrs. Temple (24 Ulster Place, Regents Park.), accessioned in 1903. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Scu, China, carving, chalcedony","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"White, Helen. <font -u>Snuff Bottles from China</font>. London: Bamboo Publishing Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1992. 291p., ill. ISBN 1870076109."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"bat (animal)","id":"x30092"},{"text":"animal","id":"x33594"},{"text":"靈獸","id":"CIT281423"},{"text":"噴吐 (動物)","id":"CIT0360535"},{"text":"蝙蝠 (科)","id":"CIT283655"},{"text":"展翅 (動物)","id":"CIT284369"},{"text":"五福","id":"CIT277822"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["929-1903"],"accessionNumberNum":"929","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1903,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-22","recordCreationDate":"1998-07-29","availableToBook":true}}